In April 2010, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) began receiving multiple allegations concerning hiring and contracting practices within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). These allegations included: 1. Improprieties in the hiring of a contract employee to a senior Federal career position, including concerns that the contract employee was pre-selected or otherwise had an unfair advantage; 2. Performance of inherently governmental duties, including the supervision of Federal employees, by the same contract employee; and, 3. Award of work to a contractor without adequate competition.